They want to hold you with their grubby paws and keep you rooted to the same spot.

When anxiety and panic are consuming you, it’s deciding to take a small step in a different direction that will produce a different result.

Small steps are all it takes.

It’s the small steps that will take you in a different direction and make all the difference for you.

These small steps will break the pattern of anxiety and panic, so they no longer have a hold on you.

The next time anxiety and panic are trying to grip you, give these 17 small but powerful steps a try. They could produce a very different result for you.

#1: Point your body where you want your mind to go

When you get anxious and panicky, you naturally want to stay in the same spot. By doing that, you’re allowing all the worrying thoughts to consume you. Get up. Go do something. Anything but stay in the same spot. When you change your physical state, you change your mental state.

#2: Close off the ‘what if…’

What if… what? Don’t jump from one what if scenario to the next. Finish off the what if… Rational thinking will tell you things rarely ever get as bad as your worrying thoughts will have you believe.

#3: Become present

The past has gone. The future hasn’t happened yet. The only thing that is real is this moment, right now. Let this profound appreciation melt your trouble away.

#4: Go for a walk, jog, run or drive

This is a reminder of point #1 because it’s the most effective. Go see what nature can offer you. Breathe in the air. Go for a drive, even if you have nowhere in particular to be. Anything but stay rooted to the same spot.

#5: Go people watch

Get out of the house and go to a cafe or some other public place. Just sit and observe. Take in your surroundings and get out of your head.

#6: Put your headphones on

Silence is a breeding ground for worrying thoughts. Listen to some music – any music. Let it influence your mood.

#7: Get away from negativity

Is someone (a toxic person) increasing your anxiety and panic? Get away from them. Distance yourself from them until you feel you’re in a better mental place to deal with them (if you have to).

#8: Talk

When you internalise your anxiety and panic, it makes it ten times worse than it actually is. Talk about how you’re feeling. Speak to a friend or family member. If you need someone impartial, speak to a counsellor.

#9: Watch some comedy

You might not feel like laughing, but that’s the point. You’ve got to make an effort to change your state of mind if you want a different state of mind. Put your favourite funny film or comedian on, and let the laughter in.

#10: Get angry

Anger is an emotion that will supersede anxiety and panic. Get angry. Tell the internal bully you’re no longer willing to put up with the BS.

#11: Get grateful

Like anger, gratitude is an emotion that supersedes anxiety and panic. When you’re grateful for what you have, rather than worrying about what you haven’t got, that is a powerful state of mind.

#12: Let go

Immediately embrace the fact that you don’t have 100% control. Let go of that need to control. Set it free.

#13: K.I.S.S

Keep It Simple, Stupid. Anxiety has a habit of overcomplicating everything. Have you taken a second to really appreciate what you’re getting anxious and panicky about? Is it worth it?

#14: Lower your expectations

You’re a perfectionist. You want things to be perfect. Yet, they never will be. Let go of the perfectionism and accept that what you do and who you are is good enough.

#15: Stay away from Dr Google

Doctors come in all shapes and sizes, good and bad. There is no worse doctor than Dr Google. He has the worst case scenario and diagnosis for any anxiety-related symptom you can type. Stay away from his surgery.

#16: Don’t care as much

Sounds a little cold, but being highly anxious and panicky means you’re caring too much about something. Try not caring as much.

#17: Remember who you are

You’ve got through 100% of your problems. It’s why you’re here. Don’t let anxiety or panic convince you that you’re weak. You’re not. You’re strong. Stronger than you give yourself credit for. Remember that the next time anxiety and panic tries to mess with you.

The high anxiety that is a plague to you right now is temporary. It might feel like it’s here to stay, but it’s not. It will pass. It’s just a question of when – not if.

This knowledge should give you the strength and belief you need to move forward and face your anxiety head-on.

Face your anxiety head-on

Anxiety is fear.

And like fear, if we don’t face it, it will control us for however long we let it.

Think of it like this…

How will you ever know you’ve overcome the fear of spiders if you keep avoiding them?

It’s only when you’re able to look them straight in the eye (or eight eyes) you know you’re on the right track.

We have to keep facing our anxiety (fears) to overcome it.

That thing that is causing you anxiety – whether it’s social anxiety, health anxiety, panic attacks, agoraphobia (leaving your house), or a combination of them all – you have to keep facing up to it by taking action.

Take action

There is one thing that, above anything else, has continually got me out of the mire.

That thing is action.

Anxiety likes to keep you trapped and stuck in the mud.

When we feel stuck, high anxiety has an opportunity to catch up with us.

Don’t let it.

Leave high anxiety behind by taking action.

This action doesn’t need to be anything big. Taking small steps will get you to where you want to be – that’s all it takes.

These small steps will quickly lead you to where you want to be.

By taking action, you’re defining your future. You’re in control of your journey. Not anxiety.

The journey

Today is the first step on your new journey.

This is your opportunity.

It’s up to you where you want it to take you.

You’re here, right now, which means you’re already on the right track.

How are you going to keep moving forward? What small action are you going to take?

If you haven’t already, one of the most powerful steps you can make is to talk.

Talking about anxiety doesn’t make you weaker, it makes you stronger.

When we bottle things inside, they seem a hundred times bigger than they are – the same goes for anxiety.

That first small step could be arranging an appointment with a counsellor.